Oil burner



Jan- 1, 1952 H. E. NELSON 2,580,578

OIL BURNER Filed Jan. 17, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet l 3 IN V EN TOR.

7 HENRY EJYELwN 4r TORNE'YJ Patented Jan. 1, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 01L BURNER Henry Nelson, Everett, Wash. Application January 17, 1949, Serial No. 71,365

. 2 Claims, 1

This invention relates to improvements in oil burners, and has reference more particularly to what are known as gravity flow oil burners, and which are designed especially for use in connection with the usual types of kitchen ranges and cook stoves, but which may be used satisfactorily in heating stoves, furnaces and the like; it being the principal object of this invention to provide an oil burner of compact structure, that may be conveniently and readily installed in a kitchen range in such manner that it will be out of the way and will not interfere with the burning of coal or wood in the stove should it be desired to do so. Further-more, it is an object of the invention to provide an oil burner that may be easily ignited and may be so controlled in operation as to maintain a fire of any desired heat, within the range of heat possible, as may be required for any specific cooking operation.

More specifically stated, the present invention resides in the provision of a gravity flow oil burner, employing a motor driven fan for supplying air under pressure to an ignition and mixing chamber and to forcibly deiver the igni ed fuel mixture from the ignition chamber into the combustion chamber of the stove for complete combustion.

Still further objects of the invention are to be found in the details of construction of the mixing chamber; in the relationship of parts and in the mode of operation of the device, as will hereinafter be fully described.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top or plan view of an oil burner embodied by the present invention, as applied to the fire box or combustion chamber of a stove.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, with a part of the fire box wall broken away.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal, sectional view of the burner as seen substantially on the line 3-4 in Fig. 2.

Fi 4 is a vertical section taken on :the line 4-4 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section taken on the line 5--5 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a rear end elevation of the burner.

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail taken on the line 1-1 in Fig. 6. l

Fig. 8 is an elevationshowing a portion of the inside of the wall of the firebox to which the burner is attached and showing the inner end oithe burner.

Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the ignition or mixing chamber.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

In Figs. 1 and 2, the present burner has been illustrated as applied to the fire box of a kitchen range. The range has not been shown in its entirety, but only a portion of the fire box, or combustion chamber, is illustrated. It is to be understood that it is not required that the construction of any stove, or range, be materially altered or that the grates or drafts as ordinarily. provided be removed for the present installation, but only that the wall of the fire box that is to mount the burner be equipped with a suitable opening for reception of the delivery end of the mixing chamber of the burner, as presently will be explained.

In the drawings, a portion of the fire box of the stove has been designated by numeral II], the back wall is designated by numeral II, and the side wall by numeral I2. The back wall II is formed with a circular opening I3 through which the neck of the mixing chamber of the burner extends, as will presently be explained, and it is to be understood that this opening is located somewhat above the level of the usual grates of the fire box designated in Fig. 2 at I4.

First describing the main body portion of the burner as it is shown best in Figs. 3, 4 and 5: I5 designates a cylindrical, horizontally disposed metallic housing, here illustrated as embodying a separate fan housing therein at its outer end, as presently explained, and open at its opposite or inner end. To the inner end of the housing I5 there is fixedly applied a closure plate I62: formed with a tubular extension neck I6, disposed substantially coaxial of the housing and extending through the wall opening I3 into the fire box a short distance, as understood by reference to Figs. 2 and 3. The neck portion I6 is of lesser diameter than the housing I5 and it is closed at its outer end by a wall II, formed with a central opening I8 which has a diameter approximately half that of the neck portion and approximately two-fifths the diameter of the housing I5.

For the purpose of afilxing the burner in place as a unit on the stove wall I I, I employ a plurality of attaching bolts I9 that are applied outwardly through openings in the end wall II of the stove and are threaded into the closure plate I63: as shown in Figs. 3 and 8.

As a. detail of construction, it is to be observed that the closure plate I62: is held in place and the two separable parts :of housing I5 are held firmly together by tie bolts III: that are applied as has been shown in Fig. 3, wherein it is noted that the bolts have head portions anchored in a partition wall within one end of the housing and extend through the closure plate at the other end and have nuts applied thereto.

Formed in the outer end portion of the housing is a fan chamber 20. It will be understood by reference to Figs. 3 and 4 that this portion of the housing is made separable from the other portion if so desired. In Fig. 4 it is shown that the two sections may be separated along a line designated at d. When the bolts I91: are ap plied, these parts will be held securely together. The fan chamber is set ofi between a transverse partition wall 2|, that is inset from the end of the housing l5, and a cover plate 22 that is applied over the end of the housing and removably secured by mounting bolts 23,.shown in Figs. 3 and 6.

Mounted on the outside of the cover plate is an electric motor designated in its entirety by numeral 25, the drive shaft Z'fia of which extends through an opening in plate 22 into the fan chamber and at its inner end mounts a fan 26. As noted in Figs. 3, 4 and 6, the fan is eccentric of the axis of the housing, and the housing forms a volute passage 21 thereabout from which an air duct 28 leads, as presently explained, into the other end of the housing i5.

Located coaxially within the housing 55 as shown best in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, is a somewhat smaller housing 38, which encloses a fuel mixing chamber 3i. This housing is circular in crosssection ('see'Fig. 5) and of such diameter as to provide an annular air space 32 between it and the housing 15, into the outer end of which space the air under pressur is received from the fan chamber through passage 28 by action of the fan.

To support the housing 38 in place, I abut the end of the housing against the inner surface of wall I! and apply three screws lsy through the wall ll and into bosses on the neck of the housing. The screws my are best seen in Figs. 4 and 8.

It is shown in Figs. 3 and 4 that the cylindrical housing [5 is'formed near its outer end with a transverse partition wall 33 that is spaced inwardly from the partition wall 2 i, thus providing an air chamber 34 between the partition walls.

It is shown also that the partition wall 2i is formed with an opening 35 of substantial diameter concentric of the fan axis. A fresh air duct 36, formed as a part of housing 55, opens into the air chamber 34 and an air pipe 3? leads from a source of fresh air into the duct 36 to supply the fresh air to the burner. Preferably the pipe 31 leads from outside the room.

Operation of the fan 2% draws air through opening 35 into the fan chamber 26, then drives it out through the volute passage 2'! and a duct 28 that leads from the larger end of the passage 21 through the partition walls 2i and 33 into the annular chamber 32. The duct 28 is shown in Figs. 5 and 7.

A damper plate 38 is suspended by a stud 39 from wall 2! for adjustment over the opening 35 to more or less extent to proportion the intake of air in accordance with the delivery of fuel oil as will presently be fully explained.

It will be noted in Figs. 3 and 4 that the housing 30 is closed at its outer end by a semi-spherical wall 30'. At its opposite end, the housing 30 terminates in a tubular neck 5! of reduced diameter, coaxially contained inside of the neck portion I 6 of theclosure plate [6:13P An air space 52 is provided about the neck 5|, within part I6, and the neck 5| terminates at such spacing from the end wall 11 of the neck as to form a rather narrow slit 53 between the end of this neck and the wall I! of the neck forming portion I6 applied to housing 55. This slit, as will be noted in Fig. 4, is slightly wider at the base than at the top, for a purpose presently to be explained, and it will be noted also by reference to Figs. 3 and 4 that the discharge neck 5| has an inwardly inclined annular rim 55 to slightly restrict the outlet, which is substantially of the same diameter as the opening [8 and substantially registers therewith.

Formed lengthwise of the mixing chamber or ignition housing 30, along the base portion thereof, as will be understood by reference to Figs. 4 and 5, is a trough 60, designed for the reception of oil for burning. Oil is supplied to this trough through a pipe that opens into the trough through its rear end wall, as illustrated in Fig. 4. This pipe is connected at its outer ends by means of a T-fitting 66 to a pipe 61 which leads from a constant level valve device designated in its entirety by reference numeral 63, and this valve device is supplied with oil through pipe 69, from a source of supply, not shown. The valve device 68 in this instance is of a common type, now generally in use, whereby oil may be received from a source of supply and allowed to flow into a receptacle up to a predetermined level. In this case, the valve device 68 operates, when opened, to admit oil to pipe 6! to maintain a supply in the trough 60 of the ignition housing 50. This device 68 may be supported from the housing l5, by a suitable bracket, not shown, or by any other suitable means.

The general structure and details of operation of the valve device 68 will not be described herein, as the device forms no part of the present invention. However, it will be explained that flow of oil from the device to the pipe 61' is under control of a rotatable valve stem 10 that is operated or adjusted by a handle member 12 fixed thereto at its upper end. When the valve stem is adjusted to an open position, oil is automatically supplied to the trough 60 at a rate determined by the degree of opening, but will not rise above a certain predetermined level.

It will also be here stated that a connection is provided between the handle member 12 and the damper plate 38 so that the damper is moved over or from the opening 35 in accordance with the opening and closing of the valve. Thus, when oil is flowing freely to the burner, an abundance of air will be admitted, and as the oil flow is cut down, the air delivered to the fan is restricted accordingly. .In the drawing, I have shown the damper operating connection as including a stiff wire or shaft 14 slidable through a guide opening 15 in the chamber wall, as noted in Fig. 3.

In order to facilitate ignition of oil and the delivery of the combustible mixture of oil and air from within the ignition chamber 3! into the combustion chamber of the stove, the tubular ignition housing is provided along its opposite side walls with horizontal rows of air delivery ports from the outside to the inside of the housing. These ports are designated by reference numeral 16 and it will be noted by reference to Fig. 5, that the openings in opposite side walls of the housing are tangentially directed in opposite directions. Air supplied to the housing l5 by the fan is delivered under pressure through these ports I6 into the chamber 3| in such direction that it creates an axially whirling mass of air within the housing, and the air is discharged through the neck portion 5| and opening I8 of the housing into the combustion chamber of the stove in a whirling blast. It is to be observed also that the rows of ports 16 extend along opposite side walls of housing 30 clear up to the mouth, and also it will be understood that a blast of air is discharged through the narrow annular slit 53 to mix with the blast from inside the housing so that the ignited gases will be carried well into the combustion chamber of the stove for complete combustion.

It was previously mentioned that the annular slit 53 between the outer end of the neck 5| and opening I8 was wider at the base than at the top and it is to be here explained that the object of this is to supply a greater up-flow and pressure of air than down-flow through the opening I8 so that the flame will be carried upwardly as it is delivered into the combustion chamber and therefore carried to greater distance and will burn with a better heating effect than if delivered down against the grates.

It is advisable that provision for cleaning be made. Therefore, I have formed the bottom wall of housing I5 with a cleanout slot 80 and removably attach a closure plate 8| over this slot.

Assuming the device to be so constructed, its use and mode of operation is as follows:

First, on starting the burner, the valve I is adjusted to open position by turning the handle I2. This allows oil to flow from the valve device 68 through the pipes 61 and 65 into the trough 60 of the ignition housing to rise to a predetermined level in the trough. The operator then lights a, piece of paper or waste, and by means of a wire or other suitable handle, extends it into the ignition housing through the opening I8, thus to ignite the oil. After due h ating of the chamber 3| by the burning oil, the motor is then energized to drive the fan and to cause air to be forcibly delivered from the fan housing into the annular space 32 about the housing 30 and to be delivered into the chamber 3! through the ports 16, thereby to create a whirling blast of hot gas and air in the chamber. This mixture is discharged outwardly through the neck portion 5| and opening I8 into the combustion chamber of the stove and there combustion is completed.

The amount of flame desired is controlled by the rate of admittance of oil, and that is regulated by turning the valve stem handle 12 to different positions between closed and fully open positions. The character of the flame is dependent or determined to great extent by the admittance of air, and this is under control of the damper 38, which is moved between open and closed positions with the adjustment of the valve stem by reason of the linkage 14.

Devices of this character are easily and readily mounted on ordinary types of ranges or cook stoves, and it is a feature of this invention that it may be applied to the stove at such position as to not interfere with use of the stove in the ordinary operations, using coal or wood as fuel. This is possible because the burner is applied to the rear wall of the fire box, substantially above the grate level and extends only a very short distance into the fire box.

It is also a feature of this invention that the 6 usual dampers may be used to control the draft to the fire box as is necessary for the control of the heat for different cooking operations.

Such burners are applicable to heating stoves, furnaces and the like by a slight modification that does not change their principle of construction or mode of operation.

The fact that the motor and fan are fixed to the end plate 22, which is removable from the housing, provides for easy access to the parts for clean-out or inspection.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An oil burner comprising a cylindrical outer housing having two transverse partition walls within one end portion thereof, defining a fresh air chamber between them, a fan chamber at one end of the housing and an air pressure chamber in the other end, an inner cylindrical housing enclosed within the air pressure chamber with space between them and defining an ignition and mixing chamber, and formed with a discharge nozzle extended from the end of the first mentioned housing, one of the partition walls having an opening therein providing for admission of air from the fresh air chamber to the fan chamber, and there being a discharge duct from the fan chamber into the air pressure chamber, a fan operable in the fan chamber to draw air from the fresh air chamber and deliver it into the pressure chamber, means for a controlled admittance of fuel oil into the mixing chamber, means for conducting fresh air to the fresh air chamber, and said inner cylindrical housing having air ports in its walls for admission of air from the air pressure chamber into the mixing chamber.

2. A device as in claim 1 wherein a damper is suspended over the partition wall opening to control flow of air into the fan housing, and wherein the means for a controlled admittance of fuel oil comprises a rotatably adiusfable oil regulating valve member, and wherein a link operatively connects the said member and damper for the adjustment of the latter to admit more or less oil in accordance with the admittance of more or less oil.

HENRY E. NELSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Num er Name Date 1,782,049 Powers Nov. 18, 1930 1,897,314 Little Feb. 14, 1933 2,068,441 Valjean Jan. 19, 1937 2,138,246 Sorg Nov. 29, 1938 2,268,778 Schueder et a1 Jan. 6, 1942 2,310,274 Beckett Feb. 9, 1943 2,392,757 Miller Jan. 8, 1946 2,393,231 Breese Jan. 22, 1946 2,393,248 Hayter et al. Jan. 22, 1946 2,409,677 Grotenhouse Oct. 22, 1946 2,423,808 DeLancey July 8, 1947 2,462,529 Miller Feb. 22, 1949 2,501,688 Peeling Mar. 28, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 39,495 Netherlands Oct. 16, 1936 

